Method and apparatus for regulating traveling webs



1931- L. P. SCHWEITZER 8 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REGULATING TRAVELING WEBS Filed Oct. 24. 1928 |NVENTOR laws 7? ScIm'eI/ZCI' 5 ATTORN EY Patented Feb. 3, 1931 LOUIS r. sonwnrrzna, on NEW YORK, n. Y.

METHOD Ann APPARATUS non nnennarmermvnrnve wEBs' Application filed October 24, 1928. Serial No. 314,639.

-My present invention relates generally to traveling webs,.a-nd has particular reference to a method and means for automatically counteracting the tendencies of such web toward lateral deviationsaway from a desired normalcy.

The typeof web to ivhich iny invention re-- lates is well represented by the wirescreen uponwhich a filmof paper stock is formed during the initial stages of paper manufacture. For purposes of explaining the nature of my inventioir'I have herein illustrated and shall hereinafter describe my invention as applied to a wire screen of this T character, but it willbe understood that my invention has a far wider applicability, and that the abovefspeci'fic application is herein illustrated-and referred to v.merely for pur-.

poses of illustration.

Briefly, my invention has an applicabllity to any traveling web which is subject to lateral deviations away from a desired normalcy. Such deviations may be due to a great variety of causes with which .I am not herein concerned, such as varying :degrees of tension-in the web, variations in alignment of guide rollers and the like, etc.

- Regulation of th foregoing character'has heretofore been accomplished by means of an adjustable guide roller for the web, a mechanism for adjustingsuch roller in a compensatory manner, and a fin g'er or similarmechanical element arranged-in constant rubbing contact with an edge of the web for purposes of controlling the adjustment of the roller. Where the regulation is'desired in connection with wire screens such as those employed in paper manufacture, and inmanyother cases, a continuous rubbing contact with an edge of the web is subject to the seriousdisadvantage that such edge is quickly worn away,

thereby causing irregularities in the same which decrease the etficiency of the regulation, and also frequently necessitating repair or total replacement of the web. I

It is a'general object of my present invention to provide a method and means for regulating a-web of the foregoing character wherein physical contact between the web and some controlling device is wholly avoided.

In accordance with my, invention, the edge of the web is not subject to wear, the efiiciency of my regulation therefore remains high anduniform for an indefinite period, and the length of life of the web asa whole is considerably increased.

It is afeature of my invention to provide a regulating apparatus which includes a source of radiant energy, such as a source of light, in combination with anenergy-responsive control device, such as-a selenium cell, which is well known to be sensitive to light.

In accordance withv my invention, I ar- 7 range the energy source and the control de vice in such mutual association 'with' respect to each other and with respect to'the web that the recurrent deviations ofthe: web in lateral directions away fronrthe desired nor-' malcy will affect the transmission of energy from the source of energy to the controldevice. I also provide, in combination with the foregoingl means which are automatically operable by the control device for correcting such deviations.

In the specific embodiment herein illustrated and presently to be described, I arrange a source of light on one side of the web and adjacent to an edge thereof, and I arrange a selenium cell or the like on the opposite side of the web and so positioned that .the light will be transmitted to the cell only during deviations in one direction. '1' provide yieldable means for constantly urging a deviation in such directiOn'Fa-nd-I.v provide mechanism whereby the control device willautomatically operate, during the reception of light thereby, to effect azc orrective'deviation. 1 1

In general, it is an object toprovidea method and apparatus which is not any efficient and reliable but also inexpensive to install and operate. 1"

For the attainment of the foregoing" objects and such other objects as may-hereinafter appear or be pointed out, I have provided an apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawings in whichv V Figure 1 is an elevational V ew, partly diagrammatic, of a traveling web withwhich my regulating apparatus has been associated;

Figure 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view across the web showing the positional relationship of certain elements of my appagatu's with respect to one edge of the we an Figure 3 is a plan view of the same.

In the drawings, I have shown a web which is assumed'to be traveling from left to right. Regardless of the particular purposes for which the web is employed, 1t is assumed that such web is subject to lateral deviations, i. e.,.deviations in a vertical direction as viewed in Fi ure 3.

I have shown the we 10 passing over a guide roller 11. This roller is so mounted as to be adjustable in a pivotal manner about one end thereof. For example, referring to Figure 3, the roller 11 is adjustable between a position wherein its longitudinal axis would coincide with the line 12, and a position wherein its longitudinal axis would coincide with the line 13. During such adjustment, the forward end of the roller, as

' viewed in Figure 1, would be adjustable be- .tween the dot and dash positions 14 and 15.

Such adjustment of the roller 11 serves to shift the web in one or the other lateral direction so as to correct for any undesired deviations resulting from other causes.

Before describing the salient features of my present invention, I will point out that I have illustrated a mechanism in association with the roller 11 which will serve to adjust the roller in the manner outlined in I the foregoing paragraph. A saddle or bearing 16 is slidably mounted upon a fixed guide 17 provided on a fixed frame 18. Mounted in the frame 18 is a fixed worm shaft 19, and mounted uponthe latter is a ratchet wheel 20 provided with teeth 21 on one lateral face thereof and oppositely disposed teeth 22 on the opposite lateral face. The ratchet 20 is associated with the shaft 19 so that rotation of the ratchet will cause it to travelin one or the other direction along the shaft 19. p

A pair of oppositely arranged actuating pawls 23 and 24 are integrally formed upon a member 25 in the shape of an inverted U, the pawls 23 and 24 being so arranged that they may under certain circumstances remain wholly out of contact with the wheel 20.

The member 25 is suitably guided to reciprocate in a substantially straight line which is practically vertical in Figure 1. At its upper end, the member 25 is pivoted at 26 to a small connecting rod 27 extending from the end 28 of a crank 29 mounted upon the shaft 30 of the roller 11. As the roller 11 rotates, the mechanism described will cause the member 25 continuously to reciprocate.

Extending downwardly from the saddle or bearing 16 is a yoke 31 movable to the ri ht or left with the wheel 20.

xtending from the member 25 is an arm -32 whose movement will bring one or the other of the pawls 23 and 24 into operative engagement with the wheel 20. In Figure 1, the pawl 24 is shown in operative engagement with the teeth 22, while the pawl 23 is wholly free of the teeth 21. As the member 25 reciprocates, the pawl 24 actuatcs the wheel 20 in a direction which causes the front or visible face thereof to move down wardly. This causes the wheel 20 to move to the right along the shaft 19, thereby carrying the yoke 31 and the bearing 16 along with it, and therebyshifting the roller 11 from the full-line position of Figure 1 to the dotted-line position designated by the reference numeral 15.

The method and mechanism which I employ for controlling the operation of the mechanism above described comprises a suitable source of radiant ener such as the electric lamp 33, and a suita le energy-responsive device such as the selenium cell 34. The lamp 33 may be mounted in a socket 35 carried by a fixed bracket 36, the latter being suitably attached to an element 37 of the frame of the machine. Similarly, the cell 34 may be mounted in a socket 38 similarly carried by the bracket 36.

The lamp 33 is positioned above the web 10 and adjacent to an-edge 39 thereof; and the cell 34 is positioned beneath the web 10. A reflector 40 may advantageously be employed to direct the light from the lamp 33 toward the cell 34.

In Figure 2, the web 10 is shown in its normal lateral position. It is to be noted that the lamp and the control device are so associated with respect to eachother and with respect to the web that the transmission of light from the lamp 33 to the active winding of the cell 34 is totally blocked by the web 10 itself. As a result, the cell 34 is wholly inoperative, and it will remain inoperative even though the web 10 maydeviate in a leftward direction as viewed in Figure 2.

In accordance with my invention I provide' means which will be presently described for constantly urging the web 10 in a rightward direction. It willbe obvious that as soon as such deviation to the right has been initiated, the light from the lamp 33 will skirt the edge 39 and will be received by the active coil or winding of the cell 34. The latter will thereupon become operative.

The manner in which I harness ,the operation of the cell34 to m present purposes is shown most clearly in igure 1. A relay 41 is arranged in a circuit carrying a source of ener y 42 and the two lead wires 43 and 44 whie are connected respectively to the op: posite terminals of the cell 34. An armais actuated. Such actuation occurs whenever the cell 34 becomes operative pursuant to the I reception of light thereby.

The armature 45 is arranged in a circuit which carries a source of electrical energy 47 and a solenoid 48. The armature 49 of the solenoid 48 may be satisfactorily mounted directly upon the rod 32. A dollar 50 is mounted upon ,the rod 32 and a compression spring 51 serves constantly to urge the armature 49 and the rod 32 to the right.

When the magnet 48 is energized by closure of the armature 45 with the contact 46, the armature 49 is drawn to the left agalnst the action of the spring 51.

' example, such energy will skirt the edge 39 along the line of travel 52. This will render the cell 34 operative, will cause a closure of the circuit. of the solenoid 48, and will draw the rod 32 ,to the left. Consequently, the pawl 24 will be released and the pawl 23 will be brought into operative engagement with the teeth 21. Such engagement will presently shift the roller 11 back to its normal position, or possibly toward the left of its normal position, until the web has been returned to normalcy.

Such alternate operation of the spring 51 and the cell 34 will continue indefinitely and will serve to maintain the web in properly regulated normal position.

Although I haveshown the energy source and the control device arranged upon opposite sides of the web and adjacent to one edge thereof, nevertheless it will be understood that such an arrangement is merely illustrative of one feasible manner of carrying out my invention. Similarly, although I have shown the cell 34 acting in conjunction with a spring 51, nevertheless it will be understood that I could with equal facility employ a second cell 34 inassociation with the opposite edges of the web. Va-

1 rious other manners in which the characteristics of an energy-responsive device could be harnessed to the present purposes will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. In fact, many changes in the details herein described and illustrated for the purpose of explaining the nature of my invention may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. It is therefore intended that these details be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense. Having thus described my invention and illustrated'its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a web-regulating apparatus, the combination with a traveling web subject tolateral deviations from a desired normalcy, of

a source of radiant energy, and an energyresponsive control device controlling the corrective regulation of the web, said source and device being so associated with respect to each other and with respect to said web that energy will be variably transmitted from said source to said device pursuant to variations in said lateral deviation.

2. In a web-regulating apparatus, the combination with a traveling web subject to lateral deviations from a desired normalcy, of a source of radiant energy, and an energyresponsive control device controlling the corrective regulation of the web, said 'sourceand device being so associated with respect to each other and with respect to said web that energy will be transmitted from said source to' said device in predetermined variable amounts proportionate in a predetermined manner to variations in said lateral deviation.

3. In a web-regulating apparatus, the combination with a traveling web subject to lateral deviations from a desired normalcy, of asource ofradiant energy, and an energyresponsive control device controlling the corrective regulation of the web, said source and device being so associated with respect to each other and with respect to said web that energy will be transmitted from said source to said device only during predetermined conditions of lateraldeviation.

4. In a web-regulating apparatus, the combination with a traveling web subject to lateral deviations from a desired-normalcy, of a source of radiant energy, and an energyresponsive control device controlling'the corrective regulation of the web, said source and device being so associated with respect to each other and with respect to said web that energy transmission from said source to said device will be totally blocked during said normalcy and unblocked during certain deviations from normalcy.

5. In a web-regulating apparatus, the combination with a traveling web subject to lat-. eral deviations from a desired normalcy, of a source of radiant energy, and an energyresponsive control device controlling the corrective regulation of the web, said source and device being so positioned on opposite sides of the web that energy will be transmitted from said source to said device only during predetermined conditions of lateral deviation.

6. In a web-regulating apparatus, the combination with a traveling web subject to lateral deviations from a desired normalcy, of a source of radiant energy, and an energyresponsive control device controlling the corrective regulation of the Web, said source and device being so positioned on opposite sides of the web that energy transmission from said source to said device will be totally blocked by the Web itself during predetermined conditions of lateral deviation.

7 In a web-regulating apparatus, the combination with a traveling web subject to lat- 'eral deviations from a desired normalcy, of a source of radiant energy, and an energyresponsive control device controlling the corrective regulation of the web, said source and device being so positioned on opposite sides of the Web that energy transmission from said source tosaid device will be totally blocked by the web itself during predetermined conditions of lateral deviation and will be unblocked during certain other conditions of lateral deviation.

8. In a web-regulating apparatus, the combination with a traveling web subject to lateral deviations from a desired normalcy, of a source of rediant energy, and an energyresponsive control device controlling the corrective regulation of the Web, said source and device being so positioned on opposite sides of the web that energy transmission from said source to said device will be totally blocked by the web itself during said normalcy and unblocked during certain deviations from normalcy.

9. In a web-regulating apparatus, the combination with a traveling web subject to lateral deviations from a desired normalcy, of a source of radiant energy, and an energyresponsive control device controlling the corrective regulation of the web, said source and device being so positioned on opposite sides of the web and adjacent to one edge thereof that energy transmission from said source to said device will be totally blocked by said edge during certain conditions of lateral deviation and will skirt said edge during certain other conditions of lateral deviation.

10. In a web-regulating apparatus, the combination with a traveling web subject to lateral deviations from a desired normalcy, of a source of radiant energy, an energy-re sponsive control device, said source and device being so associated with respect to each other and with respect to said web that the energy transmission from said source to said device will be proportionate in a predeter mined manner to said lateral deviation, and means automatically operable by said control device for correcting such deviation.

11. In a web-regulating apparatus, the combination with a traveling web subject to lateral deviations from a desired normalcy,

memes of a source of radiant energy, an energy-responsive control device, said source and device being so associated with respect to each other and with respect to said web that the energy transmission from said source to said device will be proportionate in a predetermined manner to said lateral deviation, and means automatically operable by said control device for correcting such deviation; said means including mechanism operable upon the web to shift the latter, and elec-' trical means for controlling the operation of said mechanism.

12. In a web-regulating apparatus, the combination with a traveling web subject to lateral deviations from a desired normalcy, of a source of radiant energy, an energyresponsive control device, said source and device being so associated with respect to each other and with respect to said web that the energy transmission from said source to said device will be proportionate in a pre determined manner to said lateral deviation, and means automatically operable by said control device for correcting such deviation; said means including mechanism operable upon the web to shift the latter, and electro-magnetic means for timing the operation of said mechanism.

13. In a web-regulating apparatus, the combination with a traveling web subject to lateral deviations from a desired normalcy, of a source of radiant energy, an energy-responsive control device, said source and device being so associated with respect to each other and with respect to said web that the energy transmission from said source to said device will be proportionate in a predetermined manner to said lateral deviation, and means automatically operable by said control device for correcting such deviation; said means including mechanism operable upon the web to shift the latter, said mechanism including a ratchet and an adjustable actuating pawl, and electrical means for adjusting said pawl.

14. In a web-regulating apparatus, the combination with a traveling web subject to lateral deviations from a desired normalcy, of a source of radiant energy, an energyresponsive control device, said source and device being so associated with respect to each other and with respect to said web that the energy transmission from said source to said device will be proportionate in a predetermined manner to said lateral deviation, and means automatically operable by said control device for correcting such deviation; said means including mechanism operable upon the web to shift the latter, said mechanism including a ratchet and an adjustable actuating pawl, and electrical means for adjusting said pawl; said electrical means comprising an electro-magnet, and an armature connected to said pawl.

15. Ina web-regu1ating apparatus, the combination with a traveling web subject to lateral deviations from a desired normalcy, of a source of radiant energy,-an energyresponsive control device, said source and device being so positioned on op ositesides of the web and adjacent to one e ge thereof that energy transmission from said source to said device will be totally blocked by said edge during lateral deviations in one direction and will skirt said edge during lateral deviations in the opposite direction; and means automatically operable by said control device during the reception of ener by the latter for correcting such last-mentloned deviation.

16. In a web-regulating apparatus, the

combination with a traveling web subject to lateral deviations from a desired normalcy, of a source of radiant energy, an energyresponsive control devlce, said source and demittin a beam'of radiant energypf'rom one side 0 the web toward the opposite side thereof in a manner whereby such transmission is interceptedby the web during certain deviations, and shifting the web in a corrective manner whenever the transmission is not intercepted. a

In witness whereof I have signed and sealed this specification this 16 day of October, 1928.

' LOUIS P. SCHWEITZER.

vice being so positioned on opposite sides of i the web and adjacent to one ed e thereof that energy transmission from sai source to said device will be totally blocked by said edge durin lateral deviations in one direction and will skirt said edge during lateral deviations in the opposite direction; yieldable means for urging a deviation in the lastmentioned direction, and means automatlcally operable by said control device during the reception of ener urgingla corrective devlation. v 17 n aweb-regulating apparatus, ,th

com ination with a traveling web subject to.

lateral deviations from a desired normalcy, of a source of light on one side of-the web and adjacent to an edge thereof, a light-sensitive control device on the opposite side of the web, said device being so positioned that it by the latter for will receive the light from said source only i during deviations of the web in one direction, and means automatically operable by said device during the reception of light thereby for causing a corrective deviation of the web and a consequent discontinuance of such li ht reception.

18. n combination with a traveling web and an adjustable guide roller therefor, an apparatus for regulating the web so as to keep it in a predetermined positional association with said roller said apparatus comprising a source of light on one side of the web and adjacent to an edge thereof, a control device on the opposite side of said web and recptively positionedwith respect to the light skirting said edge, said device being responsive tothe light thus received, and means automatically operable by said control device during reception of light thereby for ad'usting the roller.

19. he herein-described method of regulating a traveling web which is subject to lateral deviations from a desired normalcy, which comprises the step or steps of trans- 

